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Imperial Household
The Imperial Household is the retinue of courtiers which surround the Imperial Family and, in doing so, fulfill a wide variety of functions. These functions come with differing responsibilities, as well as differing rewards and priveledges, some of which are more attractive and lucrative than others. Current Office Holders Duties and Priviledges The tasks that each office is provided with vary greatly, with some offices carrying matters of importance, while others being a merely formality. Each office nevertheless shows a degree of favour, and comes with priviledges of office which also may expand the unofficial income of each office. Grand Maître de la Maison The Grand Maître de la Maison, or Grand Master, is responsible for overseeing the entirety of the Imperial Household. The Grand Master is responsible for filling the duties of any individual absent from the Household, as well as dismissing any individual from the Emperor's Household he deems unable to fill their post. He is responsible for overseeing the Emperor's personal expenditure, and preparations for residences when the court is moving. Furthermore, he is responsible for all introductions to the Emperor. The privileges of the office include the right to sell offices to individuals, which may get them roughly 40,000 livres for each office, though this depends on the importance of the office, and they may also be paid to see to it that individuals get a meeting with the Emperor. They are also permitted access to the King's Petit Lever. Grand Aumônier de la Maison The Grand Aumônier de la Maison, or Grand Almoner, is the head of the ecclesiastic household of the Emperor. He is almost always a Cardinal and is responsible for carrying out the Imperial devotions, such as Grace, morning prayers, evening prayers, Mass, Baptisms, Weddings, and so forth. They are also the primary agent for clerical purposes to the court at large in the form of confessions, sermons etc. They have the privileges of being the sole cleric permitted to sell indulgences to the Imperial Family which may come at the price of 500-7,000 livre per indulgence depending on the sin, the right to sell the unused/unfinished candles from the Chapel which might fetch up to 25,000 a year, and the right to sell off old chapel garments. Grand Chambellan de la Maison The Grand Chambellan de la Maison, also known as the Grand Chamberlain, is the chief individual responsible for the bedroom ceremonies and the bedchamber of the King. His duties involve being the one to wake the Emperor from his sleep, the one to take off and put on the nightshirt, the one to permit court into the bedchamber of the Grand Lever, and the one to oversee who may take on and take off, articles of clothing from the Emperor. His privileges include the right to sell off all unused/finished candles from the Emperors bedchamber and private chambers (This might fetch up to 20,000 livres), the right to sell off the old linens of the Emperor's chamber every year (fetching roughly 5,000), and the right to hold the keys to the Emperor's apartments. Surintendant de la Maison de l'Impératrice The Surintendant de la Maison de l'Impératrice, who is usually referred to as the Superintendent to the Empress, is responsible for overseeing the Household of the Empress, from her ladies to her valets and chargés. Her primary duties are to nominate individuals she believes are fit to join the Empress's household, the right to dismiss underperforming members, and the one to settle any arguments between the ladies of the Empress that might arise. She was also the one to which all individuals of the Empress's household that swore loyalty to, and she herself would swear loyalty to the Emperor and Empress. Her privileges included the right to sell off all the candles from the Empress's apartments, both state and private, bringing in up to 50,000 livres. She also holds the keys to the apartments of the Empress and is responsible for admitting people to the Empress's Lever and Coucher. Gouvernante des Enfants Impériaux The Gouvernante des Enfants Impériaux, either referred to as the Imperial Governess or the Court Governess, is given the task of taking charge of the education and upbringing of the young imperials. Category:Articles relating to the Empire